Cold Comforts
by LuciusMCassius Yari
Summary: Viktor Krum dies. Hermione mourns his death, but can find no comfort from Ron and Harry. She runs from Hogwarts and runs into Draco, the cold, new member of the elite circle of Death Eaters, who was personall involved in Viktor's death. How exactly does a


Okay, I wrote this in 2 hours time, listening to Korean rap. I like it as a story, and I hope you do too. Have patience if you wanna read about Draco, he appears a few paragraphs from now.

Cold Comforts

He was dead. That was all that she cared about, and she couldn't stand it. Hermione ran to forget everything. From her meeting him, to the small white letter brought in by the only black owl the school had. Her feet were bare, and she could feel the cool grass pressing into her skin as she ran. The air was wet, and her thin night robes pressed against her skin uncomfortably. She didn't care. She just wanted to get away.

He had died in an accident, but she knew better. He had been assassinated. The mangled body in the newspapers showed the international star's eyes, wide with fear, his mouth parted in an everlasting scream. The Ministry hadn't even had the decency to reward him with a Merlin's Order. Because it was an accident. And accidents weren't rewarded. The cowardly Cornelius Fudge was too ignorant to realize that the Death Eaters had returned, along with their master.

Viktor. Why did he have to die? He wasn't even in his prime, ripped from his youth by the cruel clutches of evil. He would never be able to love her. Ever.

She sobbed and turned towards the lake. Where he had first appeared, where she had first seen him, stepping off the boat, flogged by unwanted followers. Her feet took her closer to the edges of the stony shore. Where he had saved her in the trials. Where he had asked her to stay with him during the summer. And that would never happen again. 

Hermione collapsed, tired from running, at the edge of the shore, letting the soft waves lap across her legs. She wanted him back. Harry and Ron had tried to comfort her, but they hadn't succeeded. Ron's stuttering and raised brows had in fact made her feel worse, and Harry had been very busy, due to Professor Snape and his many detentions. Perhaps she would commit suicide. Perhaps she could join Viktor.

"No one would miss you anyway Mudblood." A voice cut into her thoughts, reading them to perfection. 

She snapped her head back, and let out a cry. There under the crook of many heavy branches overlaying the lake, sat Draco Malfoy. His thin pale face sneered coldly at her. Hatred filled her breast. The little beast must have known she would come here.

"You!" she snarled. "Why are you here?!?! What do you WANT from me?"

"What would anyone want from a cold, wet, sobbing Mudblood?" he sneered back, "I decided to come here on my own. Get over it." 

Hermione stared, then exploded. "What more can you do?! What more can you TAKE from me?!!! You killed him! You killed him you-you BASTARD!!"

She stumbled up, her feet complaining after so much running. She ignored it. She was in front of Draco in five long strides. Her hand collided with his face. His eyes widened slightly, then narrowed.

"I did not kill him." He hissed, deathly quiet, "But if you hit me again, I swear on my ancestors that I will kill you. What do I care about Viktor Krum? What does anyone care? His memory will fade like the seasons; no one will grieve him in a year. His grave will lay abandoned."

"What?!" Hermione gasped, pulling away from him.

"That's right, Mudblood. Life goes on and all that sentimental shit…do really think Ron and Harry care about him dying? I rather think Ron was happy that he died. Now he can have the pretty Mudblood to himself!"

"Shut up!" Hermione screamed, her palm swinging at his face again, desperate to close his dangerous mouth.

He caught her hand this time, and twisted it painfully, with strength entirely unexpected. For being so thin, he was strong, stronger than Ron. She shivered involuntarily.

"What did I say about your itching palm, Mudblood?" he drawled.

Hermione bit her lip, then sobbed. Her lover was dead, and now she was faced with embarrassment by her greatest enemy, sans Voldemort. Tears began to fall easily from her eyes.

"Stop crying!" Draco spat, "Crying means you're weak, not to mention it's making me extremely agitated. No one here has time for a crying Mudblood!!" 

"How-how can y-you s-say such things?" Hermione wailed, "Viktor was my friend…h-he died by the hand of Death Eaters!! Of-of course he will be remembered!"

Draco started to laugh. It was high pitched and cold, entirely unfeeling. He twisted her arm tighter, his lips curled up in a feral grin. She cried out in pain, but ceased sobbing.

"What do you want to know, Mudblood?" he sneered.

Hermione turned her face sharply towards his. He looked like a demon; his eyes narrow glowing slits, his skin milky pale, his fangs gleaming white underneath his smile that dripped loathing and everything evil. For once in her life, Hermione no longer hated Draco Malfoy, she feared him.

"What?" her voice quivered feebly.

"What do you want to know about his death, Mudblood? How he died? I should know, ….I was there." His tongue passed thoughtfully over his sharp teeth, then curled back into his mouth, like a cat's.For a fleeting moment Hermione considered the possibilities that he wasn't human.

"You were there?" she whispered, unbelieving, and yet horrified.

In a simple, fluid moment Draco released her, and pulled up his long, black cloak sleeve. There it was. The Dark Mark, black against his white skin. His smile was tight now, as though he were uncomfortable to show it to her.

"I was inducted this summer, I am now held as a full member of Voldemort's inner circle. I was there in the assassination of Viktor Fidelio Krum. It was…a learning process you might say."

Hermione stepped away from him, horrified. Draco Malfoy was a Death Eater. She had always thought he would be inducted eventually, but now? While they were still in school? Voldemort must really be short on supporters.

"What do you want to know?" Malfoy repeated again, pulling his sleeve down jerkily. "That he died fighting? I assure he didn't. He was wailing like a baby, offering to give anything to live. If I had asked him to forsake you, he would have!"

"Shut up!" Hermione screamed, "Not everyone is like you! I know Viktor! He was brave, and kind, and…" she stopped, and choked back a sob.

"You mean you knew Viktor." Draco sneered, "And only portions of him, if I do say so myself."

Hermione began to cry again. It was so unfair. Why did Draco have to crush everything she held closely? Why was he insulting Viktor so mercilessly?

"Get over it." He hissed again, "Get over him, too. Go live a happy life with Weasly, Mudblood! Have dozens of children and live your life hard…The Dark Lord is on the rise again, and he won't let you Mudbloods live forever." Draco sneered at her and began to finger his forearm tenderly.

"Now get out of my sight!" he snarled fiercely.

Hermione turned, sobbing, and ran back towards Hogwarts. Her feet were sore and she limped, but the effort was well worth it. The warm lobby and Main Hall filled those dark places Draco had pulled from her. She staggered towards the Gryffyndor Tower and ran straight into Ron.

"Hermione?" he asked incredulously.

"Ron!" she wailed and wrapped herself around him. It was warming to see a red and freckly face again. He began to stutter, his face and ears turning red as he blushed. He stuttered all the way back to the Gryffyndor common room, and then to Madame Pomfrey's. 

In any case, Draco had been right. Victor Krum was forgotten. And his grave lay forgotten as Hermione fell in love again; this time with her best friend Ron Weasly.

Okay, Okay, I know, it was hasty and weird. But I had fun writing it, and I wanted for once to portray Draco as…well, Draco. None of this sobbing, "My father beats me, my mother rapes me, I am Lord Voldemort's lover" crap. If Draco ever tried to comfort Hermione, it would probably be by scaring the holy shit out of her, then getting her to hate whatever it was that she was missing. Apologies to Viktor lovers out there (if there are any), but I had to kill him. 

Review, please!!

Oh, and flames are first laughed at, then heartily ignored. So don't bother. Just seethe and kick something nearby out the window. 


End file.
